He's young, very handsome and hangs in the professional athlete circle. Ok ok... it's not REALLY a date. He's going to cut on my right foot and leg on July 21st. He's really good though. One of the best foot and ankle surgeons in the country and has operated on a lot of professional athletes and collegiate athletes. So I feel like I'm in good hands!
Some of you know that one of my many woes is that I have barely been able to walk for a couple of years. I've had a lot of pain in that leg off and on for the last 12 years but things have really deteriorated the last couple. Anyhoo... I've been through casts, electorphoresis, walking boots, physical therapy, injections etc. Then when I was through that process I started it all over again. Finally I got someone to realize this was debilitating for me. Basically I'm a 46 year old shut in (other then work). So this doc (Dr. Beals) finally agreed to see me. I had to wait 3 1/2 hours to get in to see him. And then he did an MRI and proceeded to tell me I'm in a lot of pain.
I said, "Really? I had no idea!!" And laughed. Luckily, he is not one of those arrogant surgeons whose sh%& doesn't stink and he laughed too! He said, "you not only have achilles tendonitis... but you've got achilles tendonosis!"
I guess it is a degenerative disease. Down by my heel my achilles balloons out larger then a golf ball and has a lot of holes in it. Then there is supposed to be a muscle that goes from the middle of my foot to the achilles tendon. This muscle furnishes fresh blood to the achilles and keeps it healthy (and allows an injured one to heal). My muscle is missing! So they'll cut the bottom of my foot and cut a strip of muscle that goes from my toes to the middle of my foot and sew that on to the end and graft it up to my achilles tendon. Then he'll cut up the back of my leg and shave the excess, diseased tendon and try to make a healthy one. Then he'll shave some calcification I have under my heel and up my ankle that is compressing the achilles. Sounds painfull, I know... but it should allow me to have a more normal existence once it is healed! And I'm already in unbearable pain so what's a couple weeks more of pain?!
So that's my big date with a handsome surgeon on July 21st. I'm a little scared but also excited to finally have it fixed! It is going to be a long next few months!
Some of you know that one of my many woes is that I have barely been able to walk for a couple of years. I've had a lot of pain in that leg off and on for the last 12 years but things have really deteriorated the last couple. Anyhoo... I've been through casts, electorphoresis, walking boots, physical therapy, injections etc. Then when I was through that process I started it all over again. Finally I got someone to realize this was debilitating for me. Basically I'm a 46 year old shut in (other then work). So this doc (Dr. Beals) finally agreed to see me. I had to wait 3 1/2 hours to get in to see him. And then he did an MRI and proceeded to tell me I'm in a lot of pain.
I guess it is a degenerative disease. Down by my heel my achilles balloons out larger then a golf ball and has a lot of holes in it. Then there is supposed to be a muscle that goes from the middle of my foot to the achilles tendon. This muscle furnishes fresh blood to the achilles and keeps it healthy (and allows an injured one to heal). My muscle is missing! So they'll cut the bottom of my foot and cut a strip of muscle that goes from my toes to the middle of my foot and sew that on to the end and graft it up to my achilles tendon. Then he'll cut up the back of my leg and shave the excess, diseased tendon and try to make a healthy one. Then he'll shave some calcification I have under my heel and up my ankle that is compressing the achilles. Sounds painfull, I know... but it should allow me to have a more normal existence once it is healed! And I'm already in unbearable pain so what's a couple weeks more of pain?!
So that's my big date with a handsome surgeon on July 21st. I'm a little scared but also excited to finally have it fixed! It is going to be a long next few months!
